Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha Long Bay and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha Long Bay and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Ha Long Bay versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,137 in Ha Long Bay versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,540 in Ha Long Bay versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Ha Long Bay costs roughly 68% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ha Long Bay is 45% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 ₫49.5K

$16.19 €14.15

-88.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.49 ₫565.0K

$63.3 €55.3

-66.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 ₫112.1K

$10.32 €9.02

-58.72%

Cappuccino

$1.57 ₫41.4K

$2.83 €2.47

-44.52%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₫12.4K

$2.29 €2.00

-79.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,297

$1.58 €1.38

-82.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.3K

$3.40 €2.97

-72.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₫40.9K

$4.03 €3.52

-61.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ₫37.3K

$1.09 €0.95

30.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₫26.2K

$1.75 €1.53

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₫24.9K

$1.76 €1.54

-46.02%

Eggs

$1.19 ₫31.2K

$3.17 €2.77

-62.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 ₫303.9K

$13.19 €11.53

-12.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₫98.2K

$7.97 €6.96

-53.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 ₫255.3K

$15.53 €13.57

-37.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ₫72.2K

$2.37 €2.07

16.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.9K

$1.71 €1.49

-38.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 ₫35.1K

$2.01 €1.75

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.8K

$2.43 €2.12

-53.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₫27.1K

$1.76 €1.54

-41.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.4K

$2.03 €1.78

-50.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₫16.6K

$1.92 €1.68

-67.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₫12.9K

$0.85 €0.74

-42.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.31 ₫34.5K

$6.58 €5.75

-80.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 ₫296.4K

$5.58 €4.87

101.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₫21.0K

$1.33 €1.16

-39.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₫41.5K

$2.97 €2.60

-46.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫9,030

$2.28 €1.99

-85.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.44 ₫169.3K

$45.79 €40.01

-85.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₫20.7K

$4.23 €3.69

-81.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.5K

$0.81 €0.71

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₫72.1K

$18.44 €16.11

-85.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫22.2K

$2.08 €1.82

-59.62%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.1K ₫923.8M

$34.7K €30.3K

1.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.2K ₫846.3M

$39.2K €34.2K

-17.80%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$76.0 ₫2.0M

$148 €129

-48.69%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$5.72 ₫150.4K

$20.46 €17.88

-72.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.68 ₫228.2K

$39.56 €34.56

-78.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.33 ₫560.9K

$47.99 €41.93

-55.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.72 ₫203.1K

$18.60 €16.25

-58.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 ₫81.2K

$9.22 €8.06

-66.49%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$271 ₫7.1M

$616 €538

-56.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₫304.0M

$16.4K €14.4K

-29.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.33 ₫1.1M

$103 €89.7

-60.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.92 ₫602.5K

$41.74 €36.47

-45.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ₫2.3M

$94.8 €82.8

-9.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 ₫2.0M

$122 €107

-37.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$359 ₫9.4M

$1,633 €1,426

-78.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ₫6.6M

$1,232 €1,077

-79.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₫18.2M

$3,098 €2,707

-77.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ₫12.0M

$2,031 €1,775

-77.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,716 ₫71.4M

$7,831 €6,842

-65.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 ₫32.8M

$4,389 €3,835

-71.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,404

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

3.81

138.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ha Long Bay: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $359 in Ha Long Bay and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Ha Long Bay vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $267 per month, with Ha Long Bay cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ha Long Bay vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ha Long Bay is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 212% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,101 in Ha Long Bay and $3,437 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $359 in Ha Long Bay versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ha Long Bay runs roughly 611% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $271 in Ha Long Bay versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $734 in Ha Long Bay versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ha Long Bay but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ha Long Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ha Long Bay is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ha Long Bay and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ha Long Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 212% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.